Illegal Ballina camp

‘Red carpet rolled out’ for illegal Ballina camp


Anna-Marie Flynn

AN illegal Traveller camp is thwarting lucrative development investment on council owned lands in Ballina.
With over twenty caravans now situated at the council’s substantial Bearndearg site, one local councillor blamed the establishment of the impromptu halting-site on an ‘open invitation’ put out by the authority.
At the monthly meeting of Ballina Town Council held last week, a discussion of future plans for the area, including a new fire station and depot; the Granuaile sub-aqua base; as well as a number of industries, was overshadowed by the fact that a large illegal camp has taken over a large part of the site.
Cllr Johnnie O’Malley referred to the fact that the area was not secured, and as a result easy access was provided to the campers. “If we do acquire property we should move to secure it immediately. This has implications for neighbouring properties and no one can put a cost on that. There was an open invitation there and we have the red carpet rolled out,” he said.
Mayor Michelle Mulherin echoed the sentiments of Cllr O’Malley, deeming the Town Council a ‘sitting duck’. “It is regretful we did not secure the area, particularly having known the history of this issue.”
Town Clerk, Carmel Murphy, said officials were ‘working on’ the illegal camp and the matter had been referred to gardai, leading to a court date in October. “We are doing everything in our power not to attract any more illegal camps in the area,” she said.
The authority has sold a site to the Granuaile Sub Aqua Club, with plans to develop its new centre there; while an application has also been submitted to the Department of the Environment with regard to the proposed Fire Station. Ms Murphy said hopes are high that the capital funding will be included in the 2009 programme, pending the completion of Crossmolina Fire Station.
With the land in the ownership of the council for several years, Cllr Mark Winters accused the officials of not doing enough to market the potential to interested investors.  “Three years ago we were told there was five interested parties. In those three years, those five parties have gone and now we have a situation where twenty caravans are parked there. I am disappointed with this whole thing.”
Town Manager, Paddy Mahon, said the situation was ‘unfortunate’ but he ‘preferred to look forward than to look back’. “It is the intention of this council to continue to try to attract businesses that are in the centre of town to bring them out of town to a more suitable site like this. It is certainly the intention of the council to fully develop these lands,” concluded Mr Mahon.